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USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) has released their October crop reports, and Becky Sommer with NASS in Washington D.C. says the U.S. cotton production estimate is up 23 percent from last year’s crop.
All cotton production is forecast at 18.0 million 480?pound bales, down 3 percent from the previous forecast, but up 23 percent from 2020. Based on conditions as of October 1, yields are expected to average 871 pounds per harvested acre, down 24 pounds from the previous forecast but up 24 pounds from last year. All cotton area harvested is forecast at 9.92 million acres, unchanged from the previous forecast, but up 20 percent from 2020.
As of October 3, sixty?two percent of the cotton acreage was rated in good to excellent condition, compared with 40 percent at the same time last year. As of October 3, seventy percent of the cotton acreage had open bolls, 11 percent behind last year and 5 percent behind the 5?year average. Thirteen percent of the cotton acreage had been harvested by October 3, three percent behind last year and 6 percent behind the 5?year average.
Cotton production in Georgia is forecast at 2.25 million bales, up 3percent from last year. In Alabama, production is forecast at 755,000 bales, up 3 percent from 2020. Florida production is expected to total 145,000 bales, 41 percent above last year.
In summary, all cotton production is forecast at 18.0 million 480-pound bales, up 23 percent from 2020.
This is Becky Sommer with the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service.